War Breaks Out Between Keegan And Ashley – Oh No!

The News Of The World is reporting today that Kevin Keegan is set to unveil damming emails from Mike Ashley that will show the former manager’s position was made untenable.

Keegan -walked out on the club he loves?

Keegan’s increasingly bitter Tribunal case started last week and has gone on for a full week now, presumably with no decision yet, with Keegan claiming a massive £10M in compensation.

The club is currently still struggling in the second tier, as a direct result of the Keegan-Ashley-Wise altercation.

And Newcastle are trying to pay a still massive wage bill at the club, never mind not being able to afford new players and having to take players on loan, as best they can.

Ashley in turn is claiming £2M from Keegan for breach of contract.

And of course this is all for the principle of the thing and really has nothing to do with the money – right!

Keegan is reported to be ready to now reveal he has emails that are claimed to blow the Newcastle owner’s case out of the water.

A source told the NOTW:

“There are emails people have never seen. If the truth comes out about what went on, then Ashley and Wise will be decimated.”

“The last thing Kevin wanted to do was walk out but his position was impossible.”

We don’t believe that last sentence too much, since Kevin’s walked out on England, Fulham, Man City and Newcastle the first time, in January 1997, before he walked out last September – so let’s put some reality into this thing.

That’s not an opinion, those are the facts.

The case is being heard by a panel of three experts at a Premier League tribunal. All parties have signed a statement that they will not leak information.

Oh really!

And it also seems that Ashley is determined to win this case and has top lawyers in his corner.

As we said last week, this is all about two people trying to prove themselves right – almost at any cost.

But why bother, since the damage is already done, and Newcastle are the victims, and in the second tier of English football now.

If both of them had thought of the club first last September, Newcastle would still be in the Premier League now – but no – personal egos seemed to have been more important.

We don’t much care who wins this. although it would be better for the club and our promotion chances this season, if Newcastle were to get the better of it.

But we do want this over quickly, because it is again dragging the name of the Newcastle club through the mud.

We hold both parties responsible for the debacle of last season, and what’s being argued about now is to what degree each is responsible.

Nobody gets out of this looking lilly white.

And when will all this ridiculous stuff end?

We need to concentrate on something more important and quickly – like getting promoted for example, and start to think what’s best for the club and not any one single individual.

And the funny thing is that one of the parties involved says he loves the Newcastle club?

83 comments so far

To be honest, I could not care less any more. Who said what and who is right or is irrelevant. We are we are through a combination of uselessness from many all parties, non more so than than keegan himself. He was not the man to take utd forward and ashley should have been advised to that effect. As it is we have had got rid of most of our dead wood and if this is the way it had to happen, which is was, then good. We are doing well and with a little luck can be there abouts come the end of the season, with players and hopefully a manager who does give a t*ss about us

Sure, I don’t particularly think this case is the best thing for the club right now, and the amount he wants is ludicrous with the club in the position it is in now, but the guy is, and always will be a Newcastle legend.

It’s easy to claim he’s ‘walked out’ on every job he’s had, but at Man City his contract was up, and the board weren’t going to renew it, at Fulham he left to manage England, and he quit as England boss because he realised that he just wasn’t good enough.

Gotta give respect to the guy for that, he could’ve stayed and milked the job for every penny (like a certain Swede), but he didn’t.

As for him ‘walking’ out on us the first time, he quit because of the fact that the club was being turned public, and he just didnt feel like football clubs could be run that way, run by committee and answerable to loads of shareholders, but that a club should have a clear structure from the top down.

Ironic, no? When he came back to the Toon, this was clearly the idea that was sold on him. We were no longer a PLC, we had an owner, and a chairman and supposedly a clear structure from the top down.

And then, Ashley brought in Wise. It’s pretty clear to me that Ashley basically sold keegan one reality, but in actuality just wanted him in as a figurehead to pander to the fans.

I don’t think Keegan was the right man for the job, it was an overly sentimental appointment on Ashley’s part, not to mention a costly one.

However, you can’t criticse him for taking it, nor can you criticise him for his reactions to basically being treated as an idiot by Ashley and Llambiarse, which is exactly what they did.

In any other line of work, you can take employers to an industrial tribunal if you feel you have been pushed out unfairly, or have had your contract breached, so the same should of course be true in football.

Its effectively Keegan v Ashley, not Keegan v Newcastle, as you characterise it here, Ed. I agree with Chris F.’s take on this. I’m surprised you’ve adopted the tabloids’ glib ‘KK is a quitter’ dumbed-down version of Keegan’s managerial history and neglect to mention, in the interest of balance, that apart from England, KK brought significant success to every job he took on.

You cannot seriously believe after all that we’ve seen since Ashley took the club over, that the club would have received a transfer budget to the tune of the money Keegan is claiming for constructive dismissal? He isn’t robbing the club coffers, he’s hitting Ashley where he feels it most. If the tribunal decides he is in the right, then he deserves it, and if not, he doesn’t. He is clearly confident to go up against Ashley’s legal team which you admit are big hitters.

Your editorial joins the clamour of those who prefer to see our heroes tarnished and hear slander against the one of the good guys. I didn’t think geordies were supposed to be so fickle or so quick to forget a friend? I hope you will reconsider and revise your commentary in the light of an outcome favourable to Keegan and not begrudge him whatever award the tribunal makes. It seems likely a hefty penalty and further adverse opinion can only hasten MA’s departure which most of us agree would be a good thing.

Ed – I can’t believe I had to read this on the morning of the run! Really disappointed that you’ve hung him out to dry. Chris and Sav are spot-on. I’ve been asked a million times now whether I’d hold my hands up if Keegan is proven to be in the wrong and I will. I hope people like yourself bear that sentiment in mind if the reverse were true. You could end up with a big plate of scrambled all over your chops soon.

“we hold both parties responsible for the debacle of last season” —————————– In equal measure Ed??? Your beloved owner had the vast majority of the season left to put his biggest blunder right – make some effective decisions – but he failed miserably again and again. Don’t drag Sir Kevin’s name through Ashley’s disastrous season, he got out early when he realised his position was untenable.

Right wrong my Dads bigger than your Dad – I really don’t care, but make no mistake Keegan is not suing Ashly he’s suing Newcastle United. Ashley won’t pay United will. Already, apparently according to reports, the sale is being held up pending the outcome of this hearing. You got this one spot on Ed.

Totally agree with sav. KK was prevented from doing the job, and this tribunal will clearly show that. I think your comments are out of order ED. I’m glad KK has got the guts to stand up to Ashley, unlike so many of the others in the club past and present.

KK does love the club but it was clear that he was back to give the fans a boost, nothing more! As much as I admire and thank him for doing what he did in the good old years he screwed us over! And even now its KK vs Newcastle United…yeah its really vs MA but even so if MA left it’d be the next owner sat gripping the brass rail! Would the legendary SBR have done something like this? Would he heckers like!

Another way to look at it is your the owner of a business and a man walks in with a CV “loads of experience, been unemployed for a few years has walked out of similar jobs many times in the past leaving the company in the lurch” you’d run a mile from him! Or set something up so “when” he ran out you’d have a backup plan! He’d have to earn my trust for sure despite who he was!!

So Ed, great article, hit the nail in the head for me. Its going to be a massive sore spot for most fans as KK is the Messiah! Gonna be a lot of arguing today over this ut oh!

As a consultant for IBM you say you were hired out to other companies. What if you were hired on a year contract to a company who told you one thing before you signed and then did something completely different afterwards? You then tell them that they are running the company badly and it will suffer but they ignore you and continue to destroy the company. In this scenario you are the figurehead, you will be held responsible by the shareholders if the company folds. What do you do then Ed? Do you struggle on in the position knowing that nothing you do can help because the people in charge of you are incompetent to the point of sabotage, bearing in mind you will carry the can for their failure? Or do you say enough is enough and issue an ultimatum which they don’t accede to, thereby forcing you out the door with a damaged reputation? (Albeit better than the one you’d be left with if you took the company down)? If you left would you think you deserved compensation for your time, reputation and future employability?

FWIW I think Keegan deserves damages (if all being said is true) but not the full contract. For the life of me I cannot see why anyone would stick up for Ashley knowing how he runs his business.

Most people on here,myself included would like this to be a plain and simple case Ashley backstabber,liar,sneaky,cheat,getting Keegan in to please fans and lying to him about hes job description,especially on transfer policy. Keegan geordie legend ,loved by all,always with the best intentions for the club and fans at heart. Sadly like the strip we play in,it wont be as black and white as we hope.

On a seperate note,was at the match yesterday and Joey Barton was rubbish and was constantly blaming everyone else and the ref for hesshocking performance Took my 10 yr old to her first game which is a bit of a different experience but she loved it and is hooked,a lifetime of heartache awaits

haha!! lifetime of heartache but she’ll still love it woodsee, yeah though barton was crap he just looks so slow thought that when i saw the cardiff game, did anyone think ranger should have started?? as soon as he came on they couldnt handle him, he’s got so much pace as was a constant threat, wish he got a goal tho. hughton should deffo start him against ipswich with carroll.

Yes linz ranger was superb I think the reason Hughton wont start with Ranger and Carroll is hes worried about 1 gettin injured thats how pathetic it is. If Ameobi was fit then he would start with 2 up front

Ed I haven’t commented on your articles for a while prob coz I aint had much positive to say. However I think you have got this one dead wrong! This is not KK taking NUFC for a ride this is KK taking that fat twat to the cleaners & I for One 100% support him on that. Before any of us start to have a pop at KK lets just take a second to remember what this man has done for our club…. finished? ok, he took us from the brink of sliding down the divisions & in to football wilderness to make us one of the most entertaining teams of the decade to watch. He brought in some of the most flamboyant players we have seen in a long time eg: Ginola, Asprilla etc. Not to mention would we have ever seen to of our greatest number 9’s in Cole & Shearer had KK not been KK. As a matter of fact when he left in 1997 our slide showed how much we needed him! It took in my mind one of the best managers of all time in SBR to restore us to where KK took us. As someone who grew up in the KK era all i can say is “Thank you Kevin”. Ed if your looking for someone to blame look no further than Mike Ashley. Simply put he set about making a fool of the man who made us who we were, he’s a disgrace & I hope KK extracts his share of £ out of that Fat Wankers Pocket! Then he can sell up and P**S off!!!!!!

Ed your dead wrong on this one! It’s amazing how short your memory must be. Let’s just take a minute to remeber what KK has done for this club…. Finished? Ok lets look at it. He took us from the brink of sliding in to football wilderness to making us one of the most entertaining teams of the decade to watch with some of the best players to have graced the english game: Beardsley,Lee,Ferdinand, Ginola,Cole, Shearer & the list goes on. What would NUFC look like today had KK not weaved his magic ed? Would we have ever seen arguably our best ever goalscorer banging in 206 in the number 9? Would we have had those amazing memories of beating Man U 5-0 a feat that had yet to be duplicated in the manner of style & swagger. Think the answer to all of the above is NO Ed! So before you start sharpening your KK shaped Knife just take a look back at the Man & have a think about it. If your looking for anyone to blame for all of whats happened recentley look no further than Mike Ashley. This man made a Fool of both us & KK and now he’s done it to Shearer! He’s scum & the sooner he goes the better, and if KK can do him for £10m? Good luck to him. Speaking as someone who watched the KK years with excitment & pleasure all I can say to the man is “Thank you Kevin”.

Wigaaz – appreciate the comment – and yours is a good example of how in the comments section we we can disagree without being disagreeable. You could be right and we’ll see shortly – if the emails go public – but I’m just so annoyed the club has suffered badly over the last 12 months. And I could be wrong – after all I was wrong once – about 15 years ago! 😀 Good comment.

Ed your opinion is totally wrong about Kevin, especially bringing in all the previous post he’s held & making them his fault

I agree with comments for Kevin Keegan. He’s done right claiming damages for constructive dismissal. He was left with unattainable position & did right to resign. If Ashley had let Kevin to manage club & not interfere with him running & buying players he wanted & not thrust upon him players he did not want & left the coaching of the players we would of still been in the premier league

The biggest mistake Ashley made was brining in the London Mafia . All the problems that Ashley was of his own making regarding the finances of the club . So called financial experts whoever they were & advised him well this speaks for itself & the rest is history

The manager is the manager & yet look what Ashley did. Look no further what Ashley did to Shearer, begged him to come & then left him high & dry.

Nile Ranger is superb at holding the ball up and i believe once he gets his goal he will get a hatfull. If we can keep hold of Carrol and Ranger then i believe we have a bright future. Carrol has some of the EPL clubs sniffing around him i only hope he has a heart like S. Taylor.

I can’t believe the way everyone is backing KK, yes he was a legend first time around but he made a big mistake thinking he could come back and do it all again, ashleys mistake was pandering to the fans and getting the has been in.

This is KK vs NUFC, will people stop saying its ashley vs kk – Newcastle is a business owned by ashley, any money kk wins will come from the business, ashley is not personally liable to pay any money –

will always remember the KK years with fondness – tho I still remember plenty of the fans saying we should replace KK as he’d taken us as far as he could – fans are fickle as we all know and newcastle fans are prob the most fickle in the country

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